Ore-washer



S. THOMAS.

Ore Washer.

Patented Sept. 3051856.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAML. THOMAS, OF ALLENTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

ORE-WASHER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 15,827, dated September 30, 1856.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL THOMAS, ofAllentown, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for washingIron Ores; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making a part thereof, in which Figure 1represents a perspective vlew of the entire machine. Fig. 2 represents avertical cross section through the machine, and Fig. 3 represents alongitudinal section through the same.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the several figuresdenote like parts of the machine in all.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A, represents a long box or trough standing at an inclination, as shownin Fig. 3. In sliding boxes a, a in the end pieces, of

this trough A are supported the journals of two shafts B, B, sothat saidshafts may rise with the bearings when necessary, their own weighttending to hold them down. A pulley or drive wheel C, is placed on theend of one of the shafts (B), through which motion may be communicatedto said shaft from any first mover. A gear wheel D,, is also placed onthe shaft B, which meshes with a similar gear E, on. the shaft B, sothat the two shafts shall have a rotation as shown by the red arrows, Fig. 3. Both of the shafts B, B, are provided with obliquely arrangedprojections or sectional spiral flanges b, which stand and move acrosseach others path, so as not only to carry the ores from the lower to themore elevated end of the trough, but also to lift up in a vertical linethe ores, with their clay, sand, or other impurities, and loosen up themass, so that the water with which the trough is supplied may betterpenetrate, wash, and separate the ore from the other impurities. At themore elevated end of the trough is a spout or conduct-or F, into whichthe washed ore is carried, and from whence it drops into any suitableplace, the clay, sand, and other material remaining with or passing offwith the water out of the trough. The material to be washed is throwninto the trough at its lowest end, said trough being filled with water.The material is lifted up and carried forward at the same time by theflanges b, entirely separating the ore from the other material withwhich it is mixed, said flanges being so arranged that after one setcarries up the material and drops it onto the next succeeding set itwill be carried horizontally toward the delivery end of the trough, andthe whole mass becomes thoroughly loosened up as it is carried forwardand perfectly washed from all clayey matter, which remains behind in thewater. Any number of these pairs of carrying shafts can be used,

and they can be driven by belt, gear, or in any other way so that theyturn toward each other at their lower portions and from each other abovetheir axes.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, I would statethat I am aware that an inclined revolving vessel has been used inwashing ores and that a single shaft provided with shovels and spiralflanges has also been used. I do not claim either of these things,separate or combined, but

What I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i Incombination with a stationary inclined box, the double shafts withspiral flanges thereon, and turning in opposite directions, for liftingup, and carrying forward the ores to the delivery, in the manner setforth.

SAMUEL THOMAS.

WVitnesses:

A. B. SToUoH'roN, E. COHEN.

